T-Mobile introduces T-Priority, a new network slice aimed at first responders

• T-Mobile announces T-Priority, a new network slice dedicated to providing high speeds and the best possible reliability to emergency medical service providers and emergency response services.
• T-Mobile has announced the city of New York as a its biggest partner in the endeavor.
• The new tier doesn’t change much for everyday customers but just further shows that T-Mobile is more focused on growing its network partnerships than on making positive changes aimed at everyday users.

Today T-Mobile announced its new T-Priority effort, which effectively sets aside a 5G network slice specifically for first responders. The idea is that this dedicated slice will offer faster speeds and the best possible priority on T-Mobile’s robust 5G network, with Verizon claiming speeds as much as 2.5 times better. For those that don’t know, a network slice basically is like a virtual network that’s given special priority on the network.

The city of New York is one of the first to embrace this service in a big way, becoming an anchor customer. This means you can expect it to roll out to emergency services throughout the Big Apple in the not-too-distant future. While that’s certainly the biggest partnership announced so far, T-Mobile intends to roll out its T-Priority service to more EMS providers throughout the country in the months and years to come.

What does T-Priority mean for everyday customers? Nothing really, but it just goes to show you the T-Mobile of 2024 is a very different animal than the one that John Legere once led.

During Legere’s day, the goal was to gain new customers and loyal advocates, regardless of the initial cost. This was important for growing the carrier’s reputation ahead of its eventual merger with Sprint. In the years that have passed the new T-mobile has emerged as a beast that’s all about trimming costs and optimizing revenue, even if the moves are met with disdain by the very customer base that once helped build its empire. This shift means that the new T-Mobile focuses less on growing its everyday consumer base and more on expanding its partnerships and strength through efforts like T-Priority, its expanded T-Mobile MVNO efforts, and through strategic purchases of brands like Mint Mobile.